Hi to all the lovely ladies on here. I've started my first cycle of IVF. At the moment I'm still doing the injections. And eggs collection has been scheduled for Friday 9th September. My questions are as follows:

My hubby work as a teacher and he doesn't know if his working place will give him a release on that day or if they will tell him to take a day off without pay. And also on the day for egg transfer I want him to be there and he's not sure if his working place will give him release. I know on EC he definitely needs to be there. But on ET day, does he really need to be there? I want him to be there as I have to travel back on my own and I don't know how I'm going to feel after the ET. Any advice will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

10 Replies

Hi Hun good luck with it and I hope it goes well. Your hubby doesn't have to be there wen I did mine he took me there and I took a taxi bk because he had to go bk to work. So it's not important he is there. Good luck dear

I was at Great Portland Street (CRGH) as well. I didn't want to take time off work but luckily EC was a Saturday. For ET I went in my lunch break and was back at my desk at work 20 mins after the procedure! It's very simple and I don't think there's any reason you won't be feeling well after the ET.

It was nice to have hubby there to keep me occupied during the wait but it wasn't necessary.

Hi Cyanist, yes I had it. It wasn't too bad. I'm on my 3rd day injection. They have put me on cetrotide regime. I can't wait to be over with the injections. Tomorrow I'm going back to the clinic for scan. Hopefully everything will be fine. Thanks for the advice.

im on cetrotide and merinol at moment had scan today but not ready for collection yet got to have another injection tomorrow and go back for scan in morning hopefully will be ready then...no your hubby doesnt have to be there for transfer just has to be there for collection i wish you all the luck in the world take care of yourself honey lots of baby dust to us both xxxx

Liz1985, have they given you a date for eggs collection? Like I said they told me 09/09/16 but they told me my date might move forward depending how I respond when doing the injections. Atm I'm taking merional, fostimon and clexane(clexane is just an additional to prevent blood clot). Starting on Friday I will start cetrotide injection also. I wish you very best with your treatment also. Baby dust to you also.

I think it's a personal decision that you need to make together....I was originally going to suggest that for collection day he told them he needs the time off as you are having a medical procedure and for transfer he could have said he needs max of half a day off, but not sure that would work with the distance?

For me it was nice to have hubby there as it was about us starting another part of the journey and seeing the embryo on the screen being transferred...not sure if your clinic do that too?

He could check if there is a IVF policy that allows time off for appointments. He needs to be there on EC day so it is a genuine medical appointment. My hubby's work allowed him time off for all our appointments. Has your hubby told anyone on the senior management team at his school? If he does they may be more undestanding about time off.

Best of luck with it all , I'm about to start my first cycle too! I am a teacher up in Scotland and my council had an IVF policy where I am entitled to 5 days off but if my partner was a teacher they would be entitled to 2 days. So maybe there is a similar policy in your husband's council so maybe get him check with his HR ? X

Fortunately my DH is self-employed and was able to come with me on both days. I developed moderate OHSS immediately after EC, and found ET uncomfortable. I would definitely suggest that your husband be there with you if he can, not least for the emotional support but you also need to be as relaxed as possible on the drive home. Its a 4-hour round trip to our fertility unit, and I get quite anxious behind the wheel, so it was good to put the seat back and relax.

This is definitely a time that you need someone with you. Preferably your husband, but if not then maybe a friend could go with you?

I hope it goes well. Try to relax as much as you can, and keep hydrated. Also, no one told me this....but make sure you've got some 'fat-pants' at hand, and plenty of foods/lactulose to keep things 'moving'. My OHSS got quite bad, and I'm now x2 dress sizes larger!